‘Star Wars’ and ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Voice Actor Dies: Tom Kane Was 64

Tom Kane, who voiced Yoda in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Professor Utonium in The Powerpuff Girls, has died. He was 64.

Kane died on Monday at a hospital in Kansas City from complications of a stroke he suffered in 2020, his agent Zachery McGinnis said. He was surrounded by his family at the time of his death.

“Today we say goodbye to Tom Kane — a legendary voice actor whose work shaped the childhoods and imaginations of millions around the world,” McGinnis said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly.

Touting Kane’s “wisdom, strength, humor and heart” he brought “to every role he touched,” McGinnis also noted that Kane was a “devoted husband and father who, alongside his wife, built a loving family of nine children — three biological and six welcomed through adoption and fostering.”

“Though his voice may now be silent, the characters, stories, and love he gave to the world will live on forever. Rest in peace, Tom Kane. Thank you for everything. May the Force be with you, always.”

Kane voiced several characters in the animated series for the Star Wars franchise, including Yoda, Admiral Ackbar, Boba Fett and Qui-Gon Jinn. He also voiced Professor Utonium and HIM on The Powerpuff Girls, Darwin on The Wild Thornberrys, Mr. Herriman on Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and Woodhouse on Archer.

He also became the voice for the Walt Disney World Monorail System in 2012.

Kane suffered a stroke in November 2020 that resulted in him largely unable to use his iconic voice, according to a post by his daughter on his Facebook page.

In August, he celebrated 43 years “married to my best friend,” sharing photos of himself and his wife, Cindy Roberts, on Facebook.

Before his stroke, he told Fandom Spotlight that he had the most fun voicing Yoda.

“Well, Yoda is my favorite character because I’m a Star Wars nerd,” he said. “But next to that, would have to be Professor Utonium because he’s — first of all, Professor Utonium is probably the closest to my natural voice and he’s a big dorky dad like I am, so there we go. It’s a natural fit.”